Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig of Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern (SPD) has ruled out a bid for the German chancellorship in 2029. She told “Stern” that she intends to serve a full five‑year term as the state’s premier. When the magazine asked whether a repeat electoral victory would change that, she replied that she will stay in Schwerin for the entire duration and that a chancellor candidacy is off the table.
In a follow‑up interview Schwesig repeated that she wants to remain prime minister for the next five years, “that’s why I’m running”. She added that the 2029 federal election would not alter her position. Her confidence is high, and she says she believes her party can become the strongest force again ahead of the Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern state election on 20 September. Current polls place the AfD at 38 percent, while the SPD is around 50 percent, but Schweesig reminded listeners that “polls are not election results”.
The numbers had already been shifting back in 2021. “By summer, as the election approaches, people will ask: Who can govern this country and steer it toward a good future? Who represents experience, stability, reliability? Who can they trust?” she said.
Earlier, SPD leaders had also made clear that a chancellor candidacy from their party was unlikely. SPD chairwoman Bärbel Bas had explicitly said she was not interested in seeking the chancellorship, thereby avoiding any potential rivalry with her co‑chair, Lars Klingbeil.
